2010 Recent Sightings
22nd March : Thanks to all the observers for using this wiki to help grow the local database of bird records. : The 2009 records have now gone to the County Recorders. : The 2009 on-line Annual Report will appear here shortly. : It would help the accuracy of the database if recorders would include the tetrad with their sighting. : Records from 1st to 14th March have been improved to show how simple this could be. : Thanks, David Arch 22nd March : Stony and Bush Hill - 3 Common Buzzard - Mick East 21st March : Obrey Way, B/S - 41Z - One singing Chiffchaff : Mathams Wood - 41U - Two Buzzards circling high - Tony Moverley : SAL (06:55-07:35) - 52K - 1 Little Grebe (Sum Plum), 15 Mallard (7pr + odd M), 10 Teal (5pr), 2MM Tufted Duck, 16 Coot (8pr), 7 Moorhen, 2 BH Gull (N both 1st Sum's), 3 LBB Gull (E 2Ads + 1st S), 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 GS Woodpecker, 1 Skylark (singing), 1 Alba Wagtail (NW calling, probable White), 2 Song Thrush (singing), c.25 Starling (E), 1M Bullfinch, 1 Linnet (N), 2 Reed Bunting (pr), 1 Yellowhammer : SLRS -(07:55-08:50) - 41W - 1 Cormorant (N), 4 Canada Goose (2pr), 9 Mallard (3pr + 3 bachelors), 12 Teal, 4 Gadwall (2pr), 4 Coot (2pr), 1F Sparrowhawk, 3 BH Gull (all 1st S), 7 Lapwing (at least 4 M's displaying), 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 GS Woodpecker, 1 Stock Dove, 4 Skylark (1M singing), 1 Meadow Pipit (heard only), 50+ Redwing, 5 Fieldfare, 5 Goldfinch, 1 Yellowhammer, : Allens & Trims Greens -41U - 1M Kestrel, 2 Prs Red legged Partridge, 15 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, Lots of Yellowhammer - Mike Harris : Sawbridgeworth Marsh - 41W - Stonechat, Female Stonechat perched on fence at bottom of peatbank - Andrew Sapsford : M11/A120 09:05 - Common Buzzards X 2 : A120 15:40 - Common Buzzard X 2 - Mick East 20th March : Thorley Wash (0515-0700 Hrs) - 41Z - 1 Barn Owl, 1 Grey Heron South, 1 Cormorant South, 1 Kingfisher South, 1 LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER West across river from Wallbury, singing chiffchaff from Bridge 44 between Wallbury and the Wash. : Spellbrook Railway Crossing - 41Y - 14 Siskin : Hayter, Spellbrook (west) - 41Y - Peacock butterfly : Stort Park Farm (east) - 42Q - Little Owl - Graeme J. Smith 19th March : Stort Park Farm (east) - 42Q - Chiffchaff calling and showing well at the style between the two largest lawns - Graeme J. Smith 18th March : Thorley Wash - 41Z - Barn Owl again from 0530 Hrs - Graeme J. Smith : Twyford Lock - 41Z - 2 Canada Geese on River Stort and 1 Kingfisher over Twyford Lock - Mike Franklin 17th March : Patmore Heath - 42M - Common Buzzard, Pied Wagtail X 2 - Mick East : Sheering Mill Lock, Lower Sheering - 41X - Barn Owl hunting over marshy field to north of Sheering Mill Lock at 10pm - Andrew Sapsford 16th March : Moorfield Spring - 42R - Common Buzzard - Mick East : River Stort - 41Z - Kingfisher (2). Two Kingfishers in a riverside bush 50 metres north of Twyford Lock, one feeding the other with a small fish. - Chris Swan 15th March : Thorley Wash - 41Z - Barn Owl from 0615 Hrs - Graeme J. Smith 14th March : Stort Park Farm (east) - 42Q - 5 Cormorant over SW between over 75 Black-headed and at least 29 Common Gull. 1 Coal Tit, 2 Goldcrest, 6 Linnet and 3 Bullfinch. No Little Owls seen on 12th, 13th or 14th - Graeme J. Smith : Sawbridgeworth Marsh - 41X - Grey Heron (1), Buzzard (1), Snipe (2), Jack Snipe (1), Stock Dove (1), L T Tit (1), Reed Bunting (2+ singing males). - Chris Swan 13th March : Moorfield Spring - 42R - Common Buzzard : Nino Wood - 42M - Common Buzzard - Mick East : Hatfield Forest - 51J - Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Woodcock, GS Woodpecker. One of each seen today in Collins Coppice. The Woodcock was flushed by one of the coppicers and flew straight towards me before veering off into dense cover.- Chris Swan : SAL - 52K - (08:00-08:40) - 1 Little Grebe, 14 Mallard (7 pairs), 6 Teal, 18 Coot, 9 Moorhen, 3 Lapwing (SE), 1 BH Gull (SW), 1 GS Woodpecker, 2 Collared Dove (NE), 2 Skylark (singing Males), 2 Song Thrush (singing Males), 2 Redwing (H), 1 Jay, 1 Chaffinch (W), 7 Bullfinch (3M,4F dropped in high from South calling), 2 Reed Bunting (singing Males) - Mike Harris 12th March : Trims Green - 41T - 5 Golden Plover feeding in fields between Morris Farm and Blounts viewed from 'double' layby, also 3 Brown Hare - Graeme J. Smith : Bishop's Stortford - 42V - Mute Swan (2), Canada Goose (2). Mute Swans appeared to be nest-building south of Causeway bridge near Lussmans cafe. Canada Geese in same area.- Chris Swan 11th March : Stony and Bush Hill - 3 Common Buzzard - Mick East 10th March : Harlow Town Centre - 41K - Pied Wagtail, Carrion Crow. Black-headed Gull at cinema, Lesser Black-back over : Moorhen Pub in Harlow - 41K - Common Buzzard over : Hollingson Mead - 41L - 5 Mute Swan, inc 1 juvenile, Gadwall, Pochard and Tufted Duck, 18 Gulls - Black-headed and Lesser Black-back various extra to 100 that had already gone south and a dozen more passing over and single Great Black-backed. Two Cormorants north. : Water Meads south of Feakes Lock - 41R - 5 drake Shoveler, 2 Mute Swan otherwise only Mallard, Coot and Moorhen : SLRS - 41W - only Mallard, Coot and Moorhen : Sawbridgeworth - 41X - two Mute Swan on river - David Arch : Trims Green - 41T - 2 Grey Partridge - Graeme J. Smith 8th March : Stansted Airport Lagoons - 52K - Little Grebe 2 but just a few of Mallard, Teal, Coot and Moorhen. Sparrowhawk cruising - water being pumped but no emergency overflow and levels dropping - David Arch : Hatfield Forest - 51P - 7 Great Crested Grebe, 21 Tufted Duck, 8 Teal, 11 Gadwall, 8 Black-headed Gull, 5 Canada Goose, 2 Mute Swan, Marsh Tit, Coot, Moorhen, 1 Kingfisher, 50 Redwing - David Arch : Albury - 42M - Barn Owl on post south of village near bridge over Ash - Mick East 6th March : River Stort north of Spellbrook lock - 41Z - Barn Owl, one hunting on the Herts side of the river just past the footbridge at 18.20 hrs also woodcock up river at tree top height.- Laurence Drummonnd : Patmore Heath - 42M - Tawny Owl calling : A120 by Football Ground - 52A - Little Owl - Mick East 5th March : Bishop's Stortford High School - 41Z - Sparrowhawk seen over the High School - the first one for ages. Birchanger Wood - 52B - 3 Nuthatches on a feeder in a garden adjoining the wood - Mike Franklin :Thorley Park Road, B/S - 41Z - a female Reed Bunting on our garden seed feeder; a first for me in over 20 years living here. Tony Moverley 4th March : 42X - Hudshill Plantation - Common Buzzard - Mick East : 41X - River Stort - Sparrowhawk, 2 at Sawbridgeworth - : 41Z - Little Grebe, 2 at sluice by overhead power lines, - : 41Z - Kingfisher at Pig Lane - : 41Z - 50 Redwing south at Rushy Mead - : 42V - 2 Mute Swans at Town Centre - David Arch 3rd March : Upwick - Farnham Road - 42R - Merlin Juv, just before Essex border - Mick East : Bollington Hall - 52D - Buzzard, 2 at Wakeling's Wood - David Arch 2nd March : Patmore Heath - 42M - Pied Wagtail X2, Common Buzzard, Spotted Woodpecker drumming : Upwick Hall - 42M - Sparrowhawk Juv - Mick East : Stansted Airport Lagoons - 52K - 1 Little Grebe, 10 Teal, 34 Mallard, Pied Wagtail - David Arch : Hatfield Forest - 51P - 8 Greylag plus 1 Whitelag, 13 Tufted Duck, 12 Teal, 12 Gadwall, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 1 calling - David Arch 1st March : All Saints Close - 42V - Male House Sparrow returns - David Arch : Patmore Heath - 42M - Tawny Owl pair calling + 1 other male, flew over - Mick East